Bale processors are well known where a rotating drum has flails, blades, or like cutting elements extending therefrom to remove material from large bales of crop material. These bales are held together by twine and during operation the twine is cut or broken by the rotor flails. Some of the twine is then pushed out the exhaust opening with the removed crop material, but some also wraps around the drum. This twine wrapped around the drum must be removed periodically, as excessive twine can interfere with the operation of the drum.
Canadian Patent Number 2,202,014 to Kjenner discloses a twine cutter apparatus where a track is provided along a length of the rotating drum, and then a knife is engaged in the track and pulled along the track by a cable to cut the twine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,784 to Lischynski et al. discloses a similar twine cutter but with a rigid handle attached to the knife, the handle extending out of the bale chamber so same may be held and used to move the knife along the track. The drum can be locked to align the track with a hole in the rear wall of the bale chamber and to prevent drum rotation while manipulating the knife.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,824 to Hruska discloses another similar twine cutter with a rigid handle where the twine cutter blade has beveled front and rear edges configured to cut in both directions when the handle is moved back and forth.